As the industry rapidly moves towards higher power densities and greater efficiency, Schneider Electric innovates to meet these needs with a comprehensive system approach that integrates energy conversion, protection, and metering. This approach ensures that energy systems are not only efficient but also safe, robust, and scalable.
"The transition to 800 VDC is a natural evolution as computing density increases. Schneider Electric is committed to helping customers make that transition safely and reliably," says Jim Simonelli, CTO Data Centers at Schneider Electric. "Our expertise lies in understanding the entire energy ecosystem and designing solutions that integrate seamlessly, perform predictably, and operate safely."
New sidecar supported by system-oriented innovation in energy management
The traditional 54 Volt in-rack power distribution currently used in data centers cannot support the upcoming megawatt-scale racks that are essential for modern AI factories. This makes scalable 800 VDC distribution systems with integrated energy storage indispensable.
Schneider Electric is collaborating with NVIDIA on the development of an 800 VDC sidecar that can power racks up to 1.2 MW, supporting the next generation of NVIDIA GPUs and future iterations of NVIDIA's Accelerated Computing infrastructure.
The sidecar converts incoming alternating current (AC) in the data center to 800 VDC (direct current), allowing megawatt-level power to be delivered safely, efficiently, and with minimal material and infrastructure costs. Additionally, Schneider Electric's sidecar offers the following benefits:
- Leading energy efficiency
- Modular rectifiers for conversion to DC
- Modular energy storage for short-term backup and peak shaving
- Supports Live Swap functionality for increased safety
The sidecar is supported by Schneider Electric's system-oriented approach to energy innovation. Instead of focusing solely on individual components, Schneider Electric takes a holistic view of energy infrastructure. By designing and optimizing systems as a whole (including conversion technologies, intelligent metering solutions, and integrated protection mechanisms), Schneider Electric helps customers to:
- Achieve predictable, validated performance
- Simplify maintenance and scalability
- Increase operational efficiency
This system-oriented innovation is at the core of supporting high-density rack implementations, which require stricter control over power supply and reliability.
Extensive experience and expertise in safety and reliability
With a long track record of improving energy reliability and safety, Schneider Electric integrates advanced modeling, simulation, and hands-on lab testing to validate its solutions. This includes:
- In-depth analysis of short-circuit currents and arc flash
- Certified testing environments that measure performance under real-world conditions
- Live Swap energy features for safe maintenance without interrupting operations
With these capabilities, customers can confidently implement 800 VDC systems that meet the highest standards for operational safety and resilience.
Industry support
As part of the NVIDIA ecosystem, Schneider Electric joins the broader movement in the industry towards next-generation architectures that require more advanced energy infrastructure.
"Scalable energy architectures form the foundation for the next generation of AI infrastructure that maximizes both performance and efficiency," says Dion Harris, Senior Director HPC, Cloud and AI Infrastructure Solutions GTM at NVIDIA. "NVIDIA and Schneider Electric are building on our long-standing partnership to design and deliver advanced energy architectures for 800 VDC systems that power the AI applications shaping the industrial AI revolution."
